Andjela moves to the places indicated, looking for any evidence of the touch. She wonders if the weapon could have turned people or things to... ash.
She motions for Anna and Tolvan to join her, the rogue's eyes being much keener.
Why come here, the very inn we stayed at the night before. Do you think we carry the relic it seeks... and we are unknowingly putting innocents in harm's way?
Anna looks around a bit, but her heart isn't in it. She doubted she'd find anything that the eye witnesses didn't already describe. Instead, she finds a bottle of wine that had managed to not shatter when it fell during last night's ruckus and pops it open.
When Andjela motions her over, she listens and then shrugs. "Don't know. Either it's after us, or it's some nasty undead looking for some other thing of value someone else has."
Hearing herself say that out loud, she gives the paladin a helpless smile. "Yeah. It's probably after us. Which means, we've got a tough choice. Do we stay here, or go back to the Drunken Octopus -- the place we stayed last night?"
Stenen pauses when Danica asks about the murders. "Sad thing that. Though, so far I haven't heard who exactly that got killed. Strange thing. While I know this is a big city, you would think that someone would know who got killed." He starts walking back downstairs.
Andjela and Anna inspect the floor and do notice some charred marks on the wood. While it does collaborate the story from the waitress, it doesn't provide any clues about what the creature is exactly.
Just as they are done with the inspection, Stenen, followed by Sonny and Danica walk down into the main room. Stenen looks at the rest of the group. "More visitors or are they with you?" He asks the question to Sonny and Danica as he heads toward the kitchen. "Feel free to set yourself up a table and some chairs, I'll be right back with some food."
Sonny says "They are with us. I am the main healer and we figured your room would be a little small for all of us. Looks like they have been doing some cleaning."
Quietly Tolvan speaks to Andj. Oh we have the relic all right. Sonmny has it in an extra-dimensional space. I am not sure how our enemy can sense it, but now we know they can. I was worried about this. The relic is a powerful weapon that Sonny will use in the upcoming battle. We must also guard it as the enemy must have it to fulfill their plans to release the tyrant. So we keep it near. I could not in good faith leave it behind anywhere knowing that the cult would come after it.
Anna listens to Tolvan but doesn't get an answer to her question. "Well? Do we stay here or go back to the inn we stayed at last night? If this headless horseman is a day behind us, he won't find us here, but back at the Octopus."
She throws her hands up. "Hell, whatever place we make our stand is probably gonna get wrecked, so let's pick our battlefield. Why play fair and risk a bunch of innkeepers' livelihoods? Let's see if the temple of Sarenrae will put us up for a couple nights. I'm sure her priests would love to help us fight an undead monstrosity."
If Sonny were to remove it from the other-space... Perhaps its scent... aura... would be stronger and hasten the horseman's arrival for better or worse.
Sonny looks around the room at everyone especially the staff from the inn and says to the group "I think we need to let Stenen know what is up since we are going to discuss this here. That was a powerful undead creature. I could ask around about a place to face it at the temple but I don't think getting priests of less abilities involved is a good idea."
It take some time, but Stenen reappears with a plate of cold meat, bread and cheese. The thing is more then large enough to feed the group. He drops it on the table and look over the group. "One elf and no dwarves, wine it is." He walks over to the counter and fish out two wine bottles. He opens then and bring them back with glasses for everyone. After pouring a everyone a drink, he raise his glass and look at all of you. "To friends and adventures, may we never lack any!"
Anna's still not ready to drink what a stranger offers. She watches the man's hands closely for signs he might be trying to slip them something. She accepts the glass, and raises it in answer to his own toast.
"To gracious hosts, may their hearths always stay warm and inviting!"
If Sonny were to remove it from the other-space... Perhaps its scent... aura... would be stronger and hasten the horseman's arrival for better or worse.
To Andjela:
I am unsure. It should not be able to track it at all. This hints at abilities to converse with deities for information - spells like Commune and the like. The enemy knew it was here but I think not when or where exactly. Of course does not mean it cannot sense the relic were we to be more open with its location and use.
Sonny turns to Tolvan and says "There is another option. It may be looking for us. We have been a thorn in their sides and they probably know who we are."
Keeping her voice low. You both would know better than I... just a thought.
...At the Worldwound, there were those who wielded weapons that turned undead to ash, maces and the like. You remember, Sonny.
Anna keeps an eye our their host and see nothing suspicious on how he handled the drinks. She peer in the man's mind for a moment.
Danica takes some cold meat and raises her glass to Stenen. "To our gracious host..." Then she takes drink of from her glass.
Danica leans forward to whisper to her friends, "I hate for Tolvan to go by himself to the meeting but I think we may have to split up the team. Some of us should stay here just in case that 'thing' comes back. Tolvan can go to his meeting and if there is any trouble just teleport back to us. What do you guys think?"
Sonny shakes his head and says "I was planning on going with him like I did last time. I may learn something at the meeting that would be useful in dealing with this situation."
Anna relaxes -- only slightly -- and sips the offered wine. She thinks on their dilemma.
"I don't think we split up," she says, also whispering. "We can't take a risk that the headless thing gets what it wants. So, we let Stenen know to keep his place boarded up, then we go to Tolvan's meeting unless we want to push that off until we've dealt with whatever it is hunting us."
A shiver runs up and down her spine. "Or, we leave Caliphas for a little while. We're not chasing the Whisperer's now; they're chasing us. We stay on the move, one step ahead, and we keep the mace out of A.A.'s hands."
Danica replies while drinking some wine. "Ok. We go with Tolvan and his meeting but we immediately come back here. We know a fight is coming and we should be prepared."
Danica then talks to Stenen. "Tell me good sir. This headless character, how did it make itself known? Did it appear out of nowhere or did it come through the front door? Anyone else hurt besides yourself?"
The curfew will likely prevent us from returning after nightfall Danica. And I think it unlikely that this adversary will be back regardless if we are not also here. I recommend we find a place we like withing the city for now and be ready for when this horseman catches up with us. Anna, I fear our fate is tied up with this city and with those being murdered. We have had visions of such an enemy if you remember.
Anna grumbles wordlessly over Tolvan's reminder, and puts her head in her chin. She also rolls her eyes at the idea of a curfew.
"We know it won't be one of us targeted if we're out after dark. Not that the city guard would really care we're not victims or the killers. But I'm not worried about them. And they can't really stop us from teleporting, either."
"Make itself known? Not sure I follow. He walked in here close to curfew and demanded that we turn over an relic or something. The headless part was discovered when I punched his helmet off his shoulder." He looks around the room. "Aside from the furniture and myself, no one else got hurt in here. Some of the guards got hurt once the fight got outside, but the thing retreated at that point. Probably realised that we didn't have what it was looking for."
You inform Stenen that you need to head outside for a while but will be back before the curfew. The big man nods and pour himself another drink as he looks at you go.
You walk a few streets over to the place where Tolvan was told the meeting takes place. The building is an old theater. The place looks old and dark. It feels like no one as being here in a while. You knock at the front door, but gets no answer. Curious, but always vigilent, you push the door open to reveal a small foyer. There are two doors, one on the right and one on the left. The one on the left is already opened, so you cautiously make you way toward it. The room beyond is a lounge with round tables and mahogany liquor cabinets hang on the walls. As you slowly makes your way in the room, a man enters from another door. He raises his head towards you as he notices you.
"Ah, good! You are here. I was waiting for you, wasn't sure when you would show up." He walks over to one of the table and pulls a map from his bag. He unrolls it and places items on each corner to hold it down. "I know, I know. There are protocols and other ceremonies to go through, but we just don't have time for that. So please just humour me on this." He focuses on the map and barely notice if you are paying attention or not. "Now, I was able to reduce the search area down a bit, but the one, or ones, responsable for our problems still eludes me."
Sonny moves over to the map and says "Of Course." He looks at the map to see what it is of, his suspicions begin to rise.
Danica approaches as well using her Detect Evil ability on the guy.
"Greeting.... and who might you be?"
"Um, what?" Anna says, just as confused as the others.
And the reasoning behind the reduced search area?
"Oh right, my name is Quinley." He looks down at the map as he answer Andjela's question. "I've been scouring this city for weeks now. Sadly, working alone, you can only cover so much. That's where you come in. With more eyes, we could cover more ground. I'm thinking maybe here." He points to a spot near the docks in the inner city. "This is a place I've been suspecting for a while, but my expertise might not be enough if I am right about them being there. But a group would have the power needed to cleanse the place." He looks up at you, waiting for a response.
"You're scouring the city... for what, exactly?" Anna asks tentatively, feeling like this man was continuing a conversation that she'd missed. "And cleanse the place of... it's not dirt, is it? 'Cause we only clean old temples in exchange for visions."
He raises an eyebrow at Anna's question and comment. He turns to the others before speaking. "Is she new or something?" He then turns back to Anna. "I am..." He points to himself as he says I. "... trying to stop the group that as been on a murdering spree for the past few weeks." He mimes some of the words as he say them louder. "I was hoping that you would help." The miming continues and border on being condescending. "They are somehow linked to the rise of activities of the Whispering Way. Do you understand?"
Anna glowers back. Sarcasm dripping from her voice, she ticks off her fingers, "One, we just got here. Two, we haven't met. Three, do you even know who we are? And four, the murder victims are vampires, so why should we work so hard to stop them?"
Seemingly to Anna - Or, we could go that route.
Then turning to the man, She's new... every day is a surprise and delight. Andjela smiles.
Danica responds in kind, "Actually, we are all new arrivals. We will gladly assist with 'The Cleanse' but you need to tone back the sarcasm. We have been known to 'Cleanse' many areas and our customers are always satisfied. Let's start from the beginning Mr. Quinley."
Danica gives the team the ok symbol with her hands.
Tolvan, playing along, studies the map. He either thinks we are someone we are not, or thinks we know more than we do.
After the exchange of words he interjects Quinley, we do oppose the Way and recently only just avoided one of their agents who was quite bent over to retrieve a trinket that we may know the where abouts of. So in meeting new people I fear I must insist on at least a moment of protocol. We were told to expect a meeting of individuals and not a single person. I did have the name of a single person but you are not he. So let us step back and begin with a more formal greeting. I believe you should be addressing me in a specific language, no?
The man looks out at the group and for the first time, studies them one by one. "Aren't you member of the Order?" He takes a step back from the table and his hand reach for his sword, but doesn't unsheathe it. "Who are you? And why are you here?" He as a mixture of confusion and anger on his face.
Anna shakes her head slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Don't get twitchy. Just relax. Where's the rest of your little club?"
Speaking Sphinx Tolvan responds.
I am a member of the order. These are my friends who I trust completely and who will help us with the goals of the order. I was told to come her for a meeting and to expect to meet someone that is not you.
Danica looks at Tolvan, then at Quinley, then shrugs her shoulders. "Ahhh, exactly what he says."
"The rest of MY little club? This is suppose to be the meeting place of the Order. Aren't you members?" He looks at Tolvan with a raised eyebrow. "What the hell are you saying? What kind of gibberish is that?"
While Anna can't get a good reading of the man. He is oblivious off balance for the moment and seen to be trying to understand who you are.
Anna blinks as she looks back and forth between Tolvan and Quinley. "Something's not right here."
Tolvan takes a step back once he realizes the man does not speak or understand the language of the Eye and using a wand casts shield to go with his already cast Mage Armor. In a strong voice he commands Enough of this charade. You are not my contact, the meeting I was told to attend is not happening, and you do not know the right language to be who you claim you are. I'll have the truth out of you, or I'll your skin. Who are you and what have you done with the fine members of my club?
"What?!?" The man take a step back and pull out his sword when Tolvan start casting a spell. He glances around when no significant effect happens and takes a defensive posture. "I have no idea what you are talking about, but I can here seeking allies. The place was empty when I got here. Now, if you are not the allies I was looking for in my fight against the Way, then I see no reason for me to stay here." While he looks like he wants to leave, he keep glancing at the map on the table that is now out of his reach.
Danica raise both her hand and says, "Wooo there Tolvan!!! Both of you stand down. I scanned Quinley and I did not detect any malice coming from him. Let's hear him out. I think we can help each other out. Tell me Quinley, what do you know of the Way?"
Danica begins to use her Inquisitor ability to Discern Lies.
Still defensive Tolvan steps back a step and nods at Danica. That is good to hear. Know that we are true enemies of the way. We were given specific instructions on who to meet here in this town and where. Where was here but who was not you. So, would you mind sharing how you knew to be here?
Why so important... she tosses her head towards the table. ...the map?